Balance

One of the most common questions I get when I tell people I work as a full time first grade teacher and blogger is “How do you find the time!?” or “WOW! You must be super busy!!” The truth is I am very busy. But to be honest, I have always been a mover and shaker so for me it’s all about balance and a few time management tricks.  But if I’m reallyyy being honest, there are definitely days I feel very overwhelmed, a little anxious, and super tired… but hey, is it worth it? 100% !!  Today, I will share with you how I have managed to balance things and what I do when I feel like I’m about to lose balance and fall flat on my face!

It definitely took me a bit to get the hang of balancing teaching and blogging along with all the other responsibilities of being an adult. It began with several cups of coffee and minimal hours of sleep but I have since found a much healthier balance.  Over the past year and a bit I have learned to use my time wisely…

I RARELY watch T.V.  When I do it’s usually on Monday’s when my girlfriends and I get together to eat junk food and watch the Bachelor!  Oh, and when I get ready in the morning I ALWAYS watch an episode of Friends, The Mindy Project, or Desperate Housewives! So, I guess I do watch some T.V but I am almost always multi-tasking when I do.

I treat TMS like my second job.  I try to set aside specific blogging hours.  Typically I will designate at least two evenings a week that are strictly for writing.  I try to keep up with my e-mails on a daily basis, usually before I go to bed… I know this is probably not the best time but it works for me.   And photoshoots almost always happen on the weekends, especially in the winter when it gets dark so early!

I wake up early… even on the weekends.  If you can’t do both mornings then just pick one!  As much as it sucks, it truly does allow you to get SOOO much more accomplished in a day and that my friends, is totally worth it!  Although I do wake up early, I try to make it more enjoyable.  I do this by sipping coffee in bed, listening to music, and snuggling with Sunny by my side while I do the minor tasks such as sorting/editing photos, replying to comments, sharing on social media, and brainstorming for content.

Stay active! Healthy bodies make healthy minds! This was something that I REALLY struggled with during the first few months of blogging.  I let my fitness regime fall to the wayside.  This is something I cannot let myself do again.  Keeping active is so healthy for obvious reasons but it especially helps to get my creative juices flowing and it keeps me motivated! Also, it’s a great way for me to visit with my friends whether it’s meeting at the gym, yoga, or just going for a walk it really does make a difference. We are ALL super busy and making time for exercise with them truly makes my week!  On Fridays you can almost always find me at the yoga studio.  I live for  my Friday yoga class.  It’s at 4:30 so it forces me to leave work and start my weekend balanced and grounded.  I used to live for a glass of wine after work, now it’s yoga… oh my how times have changed, haha!

Make lists… maybe it’s the teacher in me but my God do I have lists!   I always keep my TMS list separate from my teaching to-do list.  One time I made the mistake of putting them together and nearly had an anxiety attack, don’t do this!!!  Oh, and can we talk about how amazing it feels to cross things off of that baby, wooop wooop!

Last, I work through my recess breaks and I use my prep time wisely.  If I’m not doing supervision I am photocopying, answering e-mails, prepping lessons, correcting, cleaning, organizing, and the list goes on.  You will rarely see me in the staff room unless of course there are treats, lol. But seriously, this allows me to keep on top of my work load at school and in turn helps me to leave at a decent time.  Now remember, I have been teaching for 6 years now so I feel a lot more comfortable in my teaching and planning.  During my first few years it wasn’t unusual for me to put in a 12 hour day.  I have since learned to use my time more wisely creating more time for other stuff like this blog!

Well, there you have it! This is MY version of balancing two jobs, a home, a dog, and all the other good stuff that goes along with being a busy bee! Do I have moments where I feel like I can’t catch my breath or that I’m gonna loose it? Absolutely… don’t we all?!

Now, tell me your secrets?! How do you find balance in your life?

Sweater